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Advising & Registration

Academic advising is at the center of MSUM’s caring community and is one vehicle used to help us “Fulfill our Promise” to our students. Advising at MSUM creates an educational environment that facilitates a teaching and learning relationship between advisor and advisee. Our proactive advising approach guides students as they discover their passions, develop intellectually and determine their contribution to our ever changing world.

Advisee & Advisor Expectations

Academic advising is designed to assist each student in the development of a meaningful educational plan that is compatible with the student’s interests, abilities, and life goals. Academic advising is an ongoing and collaborative process and requires that the student and advisor meet at least once each semester.

Students may expect that their advisors:

Have knowledge of the university curriculum requirements and provide accurate information
Are informed about university policies, procedures, support services, and resources
Are reasonably available for consultation by having posted office hours and/or appointment times, respond to inquiries in a timely fashion, and direct students to alternate sources of support during break times, as relevant
Have knowledge of career opportunities and appropriate graduate programs in their fields; and will refer the student to specialized resources when necessary
Effectively provide referral to university resources to support academic, career, and personal success and wellbeing
Clearly communicate expectations specific to their advisees, including how to make and prepare for appointments, by the beginning of advising each semester

Advisors may expect that the student:

Will make and keep appointments
Will prepare for advisor appointments by reviewing their degree audit report (DAR), curriculum guide, and the course schedule, and giving thoughtful consideration to academic and career goals
Will keep their advisor informed when there are changes in objectives, course selection, academic plans, or progress
Will maintain up-to-date personal records of academic progress and will work with university resources to resolve discrepancies on official grade reports and/or other university documents
Will register in a timely fashion to ensure academic progress
Will follow up in a timely fashion with advisor recommendations and referrals
Recognizes they bear the ultimate responsibility for the development and implementation of their academic plan of study, including meeting graduation requirements

Advising Assistance

Who is my advisor?
Your advisor’s name will be listed in eServices. Once logged in, click on “Courses & Registration”, then “View/Modify Schedule” and their name will be listed above your major. If you do not have an advisor listed, contact the Academic Success Center.
How can I contact my advisor?
If you know the name of your advisor, you can look up their contact information using the MSUM Directory. Be sure to log in to your myMSUM at the top of the browser page so all information will be visible.
How do I prepare for an advising appointment?
Look at your Degree Audit Report (DAR) and identify some possible courses you may want to take and view the course schedule for the upcoming semester on eServices. You can use Graduation Planner to map out your academic plan each semester to stay on track for graduation. Write down any questions you may have along with any updates you would like to share regarding your academic plans and progress.You can also save your DAR as a pdf to bring with to your advising appointment.

Be sure to check your email for communication from your advisor during advising time. They may indicate specific things you should do in order to prepare for your appointment.
What kinds of questions can my advisor help me with?
Your advisor can help you with questions regarding:
- Classes and class schedules
- Registration processes
- Internship, graduate school, and career opportunities
- Campus resources and services
- Additional opportunities within your major and career field
How do I change my advisor?
Students who want to change their advisor should contact the department of their major. The department will then contact the Registrar’s Office or the Academic Success Center to make the update.
How do I know what classes are required for my major?
- MSUM Bulletin – view curriculum for majors, minors, & certificates
- Degree Audit Report (DAR) - The Degree Audit Report (DAR) provides assistance in determining your progress in the completion of your chosen degree program. It lists the requirements needed to complete the academic program, the completed coursework and the coursework still needed to obtain your degree.
  - How to view and read your DAR
What is LASC?
Liberal Arts and Science Curriculum (or LASC) is MSUM’s required categories of classes for all MSUM students. Read more about LASC. To search for LASC courses offered each semester, view this registration guide.
What are Writing Intensive courses?
MSUM has specific courses that count as Writing Intensive (WI) that will fulfill graduation requirements. All students entering with less than 32 transferrable credits must complete five WI courses:
- ENGL 101 (or an approved alternative).
- One WI course in LASC.
- One 300/400-level WI course designated by the student’s major.
- Two WI courses at the 200-level or higher, only one of which may hold the rubric of the student’s major.
- If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the university WI course requirements as well as the upper-level writing requirement of each major.
Students entering with 32 or more transferable credits must complete two WI courses at MSUM.
- One 300/400-level writing-intensive course designated by the major.
- One writing-intensive course at the 200-level or higher
- If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the university writing-intensive course requirements as well as the upper-level writing requirement of each major.
How do I change my major?
You can change your major using the online Major/minor/certificate change form.

Not sure what you want your major to be? No problem! The Academic Success Center can assist with major exploration.
What information do I need to know if I am planning to graduate soon?
You can view the Graduation Checklist ensure you complete all the tasks required for graduation at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Registration Assistance

Where can I view the course schedule?
The course schedule is available via eServices. You can search by term and subject and can click “Expand/Collapse for Advanced Search” for more options. You can search specifically for LASC courses by clicking on the “General/Liberal Ed” drop-down. More instructions on how to search and register for LASC courses. Helpful instructional videos can be found on this Registrar’s Office webpage.
There are a lot of course options. How can I easily build a class schedule?
Students easily select preferred classes, block off breaks or life conflicts, and schedule builder creates the best possible schedules. Visit the Schedule Builder webpage for more information.
When can I register for classes?
Students are assigned a registration window based upon their number of earned credits. You can view your registration on eServices a few days prior to the upcoming registration time. After logging in, on the left-hand menu click “Courses & Registration” and “Registration Window”. For more information on registration windows, visit the Registrar’s website.
What is an access code?
Your access code is required in order to register for classes. You are required to meet with your advisor at least once a semester to obtain your access code. Note, you do not need an access code for summer registration, if you are a graduate student, or if you have a previous degree.
I have a hold on my account, what does this mean?
You can view any holds on your account on your main eServices dashboard page. Please contact the office responsible for the hold to obtain further information about this registration restriction. Some common holds are academic suspension, missing immunizations, unpaid balance, missing transcript, etc. Need help? Reach out to the Academic Success Center.
How do I register for classes?
You will need to log in to eServices in order to register. Make sure you have met with your advisor and have your access code prior to registration time. Step-by-step instructions on how to register.
How do I drop or withdraw from courses?

Need more assistance? Contact the Academic Success Center.

Downloadable Advising Roadmap (Student Version)

MSUM Student Advising Experiences

The Academic Advising Committee is pleased to release the results of the Spring 2024 MSUM Advising Experiences Survey. Key findings regarding availability, knowledge, and expertise of advisors; relational aspects of advising; frequency of advising topics; students’ advising behaviors and knowledge; experiences navigating multiple majors; and overall satisfaction with advising are detailed in the reports. Based on findings, the Academic Advising Committee has put forth a set of recommendations (see undergraduate report p. 9-10 and graduate report p. 5-6) that include, but are not limited to:

Systematically integrate long-term academic planning early in students’ academic careers in support of timely progress toward graduation and predictable course availability
Enhance focus on career and/or graduate program goals and opportunities and experiential learning opportunities in advising and curriculum
Recognize advising as a priority retention and equity activity through inclusion of advising or adjacent activities in departmental workplans and advisor professional development plans
All advisors are strongly encouraged to complete the Advisor Certification training program prior to receiving advisee assignments
Assign multiple advisors for students with multiple majors, minors, or certificates outside of their primary major area
Provide intentional onboarding and ongoing support specific to transfer student advising and registration needs

The Academic Advising Committee will use the survey results to guide ongoing work with advising resources, training, and support structures at MSUM. If you have questions about the survey results or committee recommendations, please contact Academic Advising Committee Chair, Erika Beseler Thompson, at erika.beseler@mnstate.edu.